Process of extracting oil from cotton-seed.



No. 690,33l. Patented Dec. 3|, I90l. E. VAN WlNKLE.

PROCESS OF EXTBAOTING OIL FROM COTTON SEE D.

"' (Application filed June 5, 1901.)

(No Model.)

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1 l'foz nu 1 NITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDWARD VAN WINKLE, OF ATLANTA, GEORGIA,

PROCESS OF EXTRACTING OIL FROM COTTON-SEED.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 690,331, dated December 31, 1901.

Application filed June 5, 1901. Serial No. 63,2 78. (N0 specimens.)

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD VAN WINKLE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Atlanta, in the county of Fulton and State of Georgia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Processes for Extracting Oil from Cotton-Seed; and I do hereby declare the following to be afull, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to an improvement in the process of extracting oil from cotton-seed.

The objects of myinvention are to increase the yield of oil obtained from cotton-seed and to render this operation cheaper, simpler, and more effective.

In the accompanying drawing is represented diagram matically an apparatus for carrying out my process.

In this apparatus, a represents the huller,

and b the conveyer, which delivers the broken seed from the huller to the elevator c, by which elevator they are delivered to the separator d, the hulls being discharged at the end of the machine, while the meats fall down into the conveyor c, from whence they pass through the chute f to the elevator g. The elevator g delivers them to a conveyor h, which delivers them to the crushing-rolls m. This conveyer h is surrounded by a steamjacketdinto which steam is delivered through a pipe j, the purpose of this steam-jacket being to heat the meats during their passage through the conveyor h. A steam-pipe is, provided with a valve Z, connects the steampipej with the conveyer h. This is for the purpose of moistening the meats if moisture is necessary. This conveyor h,with its steamjacket and steam-pipes connected to the conveyer and jacket, is what may be called a tempering device, whereby the meats are prepared for the crushing operation. If the cotton-seed is fresh, no moisture is needed. If, however, it is oldand dry the subsequent operation will be much facilitated by moistening it before it is crushed. If the seed is very fresh, the meats are soft and sticky, containing in some instances too much moisture. This objection is also overcome by means of the tempering device, some of the surplus moisture being dried out and the meats both.

thereby brought tothe right consistency for the crushin g. The meats after being crushed by the train of crushing-rollsm fallinto a conveyer n,wl1icl1 delivers them into an elevator 0, which delivers them in turn into a conveyor 19, located above the cooker g. This cooker is supplied with steam by means of the pipe 1, which is connected with the steampipej. After the mass has been thoroughly cooked it is put into the press 5 and the oil ex-' pressed in the usual way.

In the ordinary process of extracting oil from-'cotton-seed the kernels are passed from the separating-machine direct to the crushing-rolls, where they are crushed cold. The crushed mass is then passed into a steam heater or cooker and then to the press, where the oil is extracted by pressure. I have found by actual trial, however, that the yield of oil can be considerably increased if the cottonseed is hnlled and if the meats are crushed under the influence of heat, either by having the rolls themselves heated or by heating the meatsbefore they are delivered to the rolls, or This is the most important feature of my process, that the meats should be crushed hot, either with or without the addition of moisture, before the crushing operation, as the condition of the meats requires.

The use ofcrushing-rollers,as is well known, is to break up the oil-cells and disintegrate -tho fibrous matter preparatory to the cooking of the crushed mass. By my process, however, the disintegration of the oil-cells and fibrous matter is far more completely done by reason of the fact that the crushing is done under the influence of heat, and by actual experiment I have found that it is possible to use a much lower degree of steam-pressure in the cooker or digester q and a much lower degree of pressure in the press 8; also, that the amount of press-cloth required in said press is much less than it was under the old conditions, and that the oil-cake itself is more attractive and regular in appearance, being free from the greenish spots which often occur from balling in the heaters or cookers. I have found by actual trial that these valuable results are secured by properly tempering the meats before the crushing operation. By tempering I mean subjecting the meats, either with or without the addition of moisture, (which moisture may be either .in the form of steam or water,) to the action of heat before said meats are delivered to the crushing-rolls. I have found by experiment that the efficiency of the process increases from the beginning until the time when the rolls are well heated up, as of course they will become heated by contact with the heated meats. An hour after the use of the apparatus is begun I find that the yield of oil is sensibly increased. I therefore prefer to heat the rollers in the beginning of the operation, although after they have once been heated up there is no necessity of continuing to heat them.

One of the serious objections to the ordinary process of extracting. oil from cottonseed is that unless the seed is fresh moisture must be added to it to have it cooked properly. This is generally done in the cooker or digester q; but the addition of moisture to the crushed mass in the cooker itself has serious objections. Just as would happen if water were poured into flour, the crushed mass when subjected to the action of moisture forms balls oftentimes of considerable size, and if one of these balls were broken it would be found that While the exterior was properly cooked the interior would be practically uncooked. The result would be that when one of these balls got into the press it would tear the press-cloth, thus materially increasing the expense, and would make a greenish spot in the pressed cake. I overcome this obj ection by introducing moisture into the meats before they are crushed, so that during the crushing operation the moisture is thoroughly and intimately mixed with the crushed mass, the result being that in the subsequent cooking there is practically no formation of balls. As said before, some varieties of seed when fresh contain enough moisture, and in this case none need be added. If, however, the seed is old and dry, the operation is much facilitated by adding a small amount of moisture to the meats before they are crushed.

Of course it is to be understood that the apparatus which is diagrammatically shown in the drawings can be replaced by very different forms of apparatus.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is

1. The process of extracting oil from cotton-seed, which consists in breaking up said seed, separating thehulls from the meats, tempering said meats preparatory to the crushing operation, crushing said meats, cooking the crushed mass and then expressing the oil therefrom.

2. The process of extracting oil from cotton-seed, which consists in breaking up the kernels, separating the hulls from the meats, heating said meats, adding moisture thereto, crushing the heated and moistened meats, cooking said crushed mass and then expressing the oil therefrom.

In testimony whereof I aliix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

EDWARD VAN. VVINKLE.

YVitnesses:

JOHN H.- HALT, J os. H. BLAoKwooD, 

